IN IRELAND.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 August 1921, Page 2

IN IRELAND.

CABLE NEWS.

AUSTRALIAN AM) N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. DAIL EIREANN OATH. LONDON. Aug. 17. The Dail Kirmin oath is as follows: '■ 1 do solemnly swear (or affirm) that 1 do not, and shall not, yield a, voluntary support to any pretended Govern-' incut, authority, or power, within Ireland inimical thereto; and further, that, to the best of my knowledge and | ability, I will support and defend the Irish Republic, and the Irish Republic’s Government, which is the Dail Eireann, I against all enemies, foreign or domesj tie; that I hear true allegiance thereto. I take this obligation freely, without I any mental reservation or purpose of 1 evasion.” I LONDON PRESS REPORTS. LONDON, Aug. 17. The London “Daily News” correspondent at Dublin states:—“ It is believed that a large proportion of more responsible people present were aghast at Do Valera’s speech at the opening of Dail Eireann, for though many have spoken their mind they don’t want it spoken for them. Thus the speech undoubtedly has weakened Do Valera’s position in Dail Eireann. It will not be surprising if ten or fourteen days pass before a reply 7s dispatched to London. A hurried reply would he a had reply. Dail Eireann’s executive is a body of war-weary men, whose nerves arc strained .almost to breaking point. There is even- need to give free play to the softening influences of a discussion by tbe 130 Sinn Fein members of the Commons. Of these, 112 have been imprisoned once. Seventy-eight of them have been imprisoned twice; 41 of them three times; 18 of them four times; eight of them five times; and 15 have been sentenced to death.” DE VALERA’S STATEMENT. LONDON,'Aug. 16. Do Valera, in the course of his speech at the opening of the Dail Eireann, said:— “ If Great Britain had only ueoguised those principles which Hon Lloyd George laid down during the war, relating to small nations’ rights, there I would have been no need for the negotiations. It practically is impossible for Irishmen to negotiate with the British Government. There cannot he any negotiation with man and man or between us and the British Government, when the position is that an unarmed man; is facing a man. with ■’ pistol at his head. When there is no principle to fall back upon for the emulation of the ease, or the adjustment of differences, there is nothing ,r l but force and, in the end, if the .'ritish Government does not state !(finitely some principle on which a settlement is to be based, then Irishmen ■ ill find .that at every step they are confronted by force. The negotiations, or Britain, only mean an opportunity or saving their faces. We will not negotiate to save our faces, hut to save jloodshed, if possible. AA’e can only negotiate on right—on principle—on a iasis of justice. It is not just that i small nation beside a big one should mve to ri.e guarantees for the big ■lie’s safety, instead of the big one guaranteeing the little one’s safety, lust because the big nation alongside he little nation thinks it is necessary iu its own advantage, safety, and security to annex the little one, that does not make such annexation in principle n just one. If it did, then there would soon lie no small nations in Europe. There is no justice, or right in that.” LA G i.i ri I Eli ,1N u. IAIAhUA, Aug. U. j lie “ Daily ivxpiess " loony u?t says; non. l.ioyu iieoige is expected to i.a.ve a oriei statement on neJaim in me Mouse m commons on Wednesday. •• me uisposition m t arliament to.iigiii, auds the "Express,” "is not accent ivc Valera’s speech as reprobating .winii reins definite, answer, i is no secret, however, that power .id Mui-iiritish influences have buen .mrking in Ireland during the last few .lays, endeavouring to destroy a peace atmosphere.” SINN LEIN PAPER. LONDON, Aug. 6. The "Irish Bulletin,” the organ ol .siini Kein, to-day attacks Air Smuts’ letter. The paper says:- ” Everyone knows that the Dominions owe their present position of absolute freedom to their distance from the Imperial centre., Ireland’s Hose proxi- . mity to England, however, must make j the Dominions’ status theory illusive. It is not to lie found in the British proposals. It is only mischevious to pretend otherwise.’’ AIT UTAH A’ LEAVE CANCELLED. LONDON, Aug, 17. It is announced that the Ulster troops have had their leave cancelled. ULSTER PREDICTS RUPTURE. LONDON, Aug. 17. The London “ Daily Telegraph’s ” Belfast correspondent reports : “The Northern (Ulster) Cabinet met to-day. Sir J. Craig (Premier) was not present. “ No new proposal was submitted. “ There is a growing feeling in Belfast that a rupture between Ireland and Great Britain is inevitable, sooner or later. Nevertheless, it is thought that the door has not been denfinitely barred against an ultimate settlement.” DE VALERA EXPLAINS. (Received This Day at 9.40 n.m.) LONDON, Aug. 17. De Valera, in his address to the Dail Eireann, said:— “From the reports in British and Foreign press, there seemed a doubt in the mind of the 1 world as to the attitude over the British proposals. There was a doubt as to whether his letter meant acceptance or rejection. There ought not to he doubt. AVe cannot, and will not, on behalf of Ireland, accept the terms. It was isaid Ireland had agreed to accept tbe stains of Dominion Home Rule, and has been offered it. Ireland offered no such thing. There was no Ireland, but two broken nieces. God Almighty bad placed this island as a unit beside another island. We want to be neighbourly. We hare '

no enmity to England, at least if thia question is settled, we believe there would be none. “ The Irish question was the problem of a powerful selfish person wishing to encroach upon the rights of property and freedom of his neighbour. That was tlie fundamental problem to be settled. There could never be a question of secession from England, because there never was a union. They had no enmity with the North, in fact they were prepared to make sacrifices for the North that they would never make for Great Britain. Ireland could not accept the terms offered. They were not what Canada and South Africa got, but an Ireland broken in two pieces. , The Trsih people will not flinch now, becaqlfc more arms are being sent for.” ! | A SHOOTING AFFRAY. 1 (Received This Day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, August 16. A sensational outbreak of shooting occurred at Coal Island village in Comb tv Tyrone. A band returning from a fete played a national air and was fired on by men concealed in a house. One i was killed and one wounded.